The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-06-08

one right where ne Wanteu IL, ana ne
hit a grounder to father. The veteran
stopped down and gathered it in in
great shape, while the boys cheered and
"Now we've got him, Pop! Let her
come hot!' screamed frankie, dancing
a wild can-can on first.
But father had his eye on Peter, who
was running toward first, and with all
the accuracy of a crack wing shot he
let the ball drive and caught the un-
happy Peter on the small ribs just as
he was nearing the base. The general
clamor which followed astounded faith
er.
what are you doing? Who are you
hitting? What sort of a way is that?"
'Not out!' shouted the umpire's sill
very voice, as Peter sat down on first
base and searched the Heavens for his
lost breath.
"Not out? What do you meanP"
said father. The situation was ex-
planned to him, and the nature of the
new rule made plain. Father was dis
appointed. He wanted to hit some
one. That was the way he used to
play. But he resigned himself to his
fate. The game proceeded, and father
soon found himself on first Dase, while
the irreverent Johnny was at short.
Then the batsman hit to Johnny, and
that nimble youth "scooped in" the
ball and hurled it to first. But father
had by this time rambled back into the
past and was expecting to see Johnny
"peg" the man running to first. The
result was that the ball struck father
fairly just above the belt and doubled
him up like two-foot rule.
johnny looked rather white, while
the umpire rushed to first base with a
great futtering of white fannels, and
kneeling beside her PROSTATE sire,
murmured:
care you hurt, papa darling?'
Father sat up and rubbed his eyes,
gasped few times, and then said:
.See here, l thought it was against
the rules to hit man."
There was another series of explana-
tons and then the game went on.
And then some one hit high foul to
father. He danced merrily out and
got we'll under the ball, and the boys
all got ready to yell: "good catch. !"
But it didn't work. The ball hit
father on the end of his finger, and
going right through his hands landed
on his nose. Again there was con-
fusion, and the umpire, just trife
tremulous about the lips, whispered:
papa, dear, don't play any more,
please. :"
mot play any more9 What do you
meanp" said father, bristling up and
wiping his face bravely. Il haven
got into my old form yet"
And soon father was pitcher. Then
those cruel boys commenced to whack
three-baggers all over the field until
their sire was well-nigh worn out with
his exertions. Fortunately some one
went out on fly and father limped
back to be catcher. They called him
catcher, but he did not catch any thing
except one foul tip, and he caught that
| on the chin.
what makes the ball 90 SC
crookedp" he asked, after missing the
fourth strike by about foot
That's the curve" said Albert.
What curve?"
1.-THE curve on the ball.
"Nonsense! The ball can't curve. u
Then there was another pause fol
half an hour while the theory of curved
| pitching was explained to father. And
when he finally went in to the bat he
thought he knew all about it. When
his turn came to strike Johnny had
come up to pitch, and that willy young.
ster had more curves and shoots and
lodges than he had fingers. So wher
he pitched an out-curve and father
famed the air, he laughed dem oniat
laugh. Father smnsA. He saw the
curve and prepared to meet it on the
next ball. But the villainous Johnny
pitched an in-shoot, and when father
reached for the expected out-curve HI
got a whack on the left wrist that made
him drop the bat with an exclamation
that quite shocked the umpire.
Give father an easy one,' PLEADED
the umpire; don't be so mean"
Como off," said the irreveren
Johnny, sending in rising out curve,
on which father quite threw himsel
away.
But the veteran was full of courage
and there was an exultant feminin
shrek as he hammered the next bal
for a base hit between short and sec
ond.
"Run, papa, run!" screamed tn
umpire, clapping her hands; your
not half going!"
But father made his first and smile
smile of benign triu mph on the as
sembly.
Now, father" said Albert, 'tak
plenty of ground and go to secoad a
soon as he pitches; George can't thro'
straight to second
take ground? what groundP'
Time" called Albert; and he e1
plain ed his meaning to father.
The veteran got to second and stoo
there putting, but happy. Then tn
batsman hit to the third baseman, VIII